This invention relates to bell-type percussion instruments, and particularly to an instrument known as the cow-bell. The known cow-bell instrument is a hollow metal rectangular bell having a closed end and an open end. The instrument is mounted by a clamping arrangement attached to its closed end. The longer edge of the open end is struck by a striking member, such as a drumstick, to cause the instrument to produce a distinctive cow-bell tone.
Because the prior art cow-bell is struck along the rather sharp, hard metal edge of the open end, repeated striking can damage the drumstick or deform the bell, particularly when used by musicians playing vigorous rock and roll music. Further, the prior art cow-bell must be struck within a very limited range of angles to produce the desired tone, and improper blows can result in undesireable overtones. In practice some musicians attempt to reduce such overtones by wrapping the open end of the cow-bell with tape.
In the commonly-owned, allowed U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 252,861, filed Sept. 30, 1988, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,061, granted Feb. 6, 1990, entitled "Block Type Percussion Instrument" there is described a percussion instrument formed entirely of molded plastic, which in a preferred embodiment includes an integrally molded plastic striking ridge along the upper edge of the block. This instrument is prior art to this application by reason of sales by the assignee of the present invention. This integrally molded striking ridge of the prior art block is not suitable for application to a cow-bell which requires a sheet metal body to produce its distinctive tone.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved bell-type percussion instrument which avoids damage to drumsticks or the instrument as a result of vigorous usage by musicians.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved cow-bell which produces the desired tone over a wide range of striking angles without undesireable overtones.